First-Class, Standard Mail Rates to Increase on January 22

The price of a First-Class stamp will rise by a penny—to 45 cents—and the cost of Standard Mail, which is widely used by nonprofits, will increase on Jan. 22.

Prices for periodicals, package services and extra services will also go up on Sunday.

Here are highlights of the first-class price hikes:

• Letters (1 oz.) – 1-cent increase to 45 cents. This is the first increase in the price of a First-Class Mail stamp since May 2009.
• Single-piece letters additional ounce rate – unchanged at 20 cents.
• Postcards – 3-cent increase to 32 cents
• Letters to Canada or Mexico (1 oz.) – 5-cent increase to 85 cents
• Letters to other international destinations – 7-cent increase to $1.05
• The second ounce will be free for First-Class Mail Presort pieces weighing between one and two ounces.

Standard Mail—often referred to as bulk mail—requires a minimum of 200 pieces or 50 pounds of mail. The maximum weight for a single piece mailed as standard mail is 16 ounces.

There is no single-piece Standard Mail postage. In Standard Mail, there are prices for letters, flats/large envelopes, and parcels. Unlike First-Class Mail, there is no separate Standard Mail postcard price (postcards are mailed as letters or flats).

Lower nonprofit prices are available for Standard Mail but require specific authorization.

Reprinted from massnonprofit.org.